Instant rice ball container

Abstract

To provide Onigiri capable of being molded by butting openings of a container filled with processed rice to each other.SOLUTION: An instant Onigiri is composed of: at least a pair of right and left storage parts opening upward with a predetermined shape; processed rice stored in the storage parts; and a film covering opening parts of the storage parts. Means to form Onigiri is employed, where the opening parts of the respective storage parts are provided bilaterally symmetrically across a folding line as a center, and the opening parts are bonded with a peelable film on the opening parts in a state that the processed rice is stored in the storage parts, and, by folding at the folding line the right and left storage parts from which the film is peeled off and butting the opening parts to each other, pieces of the processed rice stored in the respective storage parts are butted to each other and are unified.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to rice balls that can be easily shaped. [Background technology]

[0002] For the Japanese, whose staple food has traditionally been rice, onigiri is one of many ways of eating rice, and according to one theory, it has been around since the Yayoi period. Onigiri, which can be eaten in one go, remains popular today as a portable food, and is regularly sold at convenience stores, supermarkets, small shops, etc.

[0003] However, making onigiri at home requires many steps, such as cooking rice, preparing the ingredients, sandwiching the ingredients between the cooked rice, shaping the rice, sprinkling salt on the surface, and wrapping it in seaweed, making it extremely inefficient given the recent trend toward saving time and effort in housework. Furthermore, when forming the rice balls using vinyl gloves or by directly squeezing them with one's hands, bacteria on the hands may adhere to the surface of the rice ball, which is unsanitary. Furthermore, the amount of cooked rice used for the rice balls is basically measured by eye, which creates problems such as inconsistent size of the rice balls and amount of cooked rice.

[0004] To solve the above problems, techniques have been proposed in the past, as described in Japanese Patent No. 5107101 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-296380 (Patent Document 2). Specifically, Patent Document 1 proposes a technique in which cooked rice is placed on a rice ball-forming film from two containers in which processed cooked rice is sealed and then formed into a single rice ball by hand. Patent Document 2 also proposes a technique in which food ingredients such as cooked rice are directly placed in two containers, and both containers are folded at their bends and compacted from the outside of the containers to produce rice balls with a regular shape.

[0005] However, while the technical proposal in Patent Document 1 eliminates the need to cook rice, it is necessary to properly move the processed cooked rice onto the onigiri-forming film when forming the rice balls. Furthermore, because recesses for inserting ingredients are formed in the bottom of the container, the contact area is larger than when the container is flat, so cooked rice tends to remain inside the container, which actually increases the amount of work required, and does not solve all of the above problems. Furthermore, the technical proposal in Patent Document 2 does not reduce the effort required to cook rice or to estimate the amount of rice to be placed in the container, and does not save time on making rice balls, so it does not solve all of the above problems.

[0006] The applicant, inspired by the idea of ​​making rice balls without much effort, focused on the technology of processed rice that can be heated in a microwave oven or the like to produce rice that is as good as freshly cooked rice, and developed an extremely simple rice ball forming means that can form rice balls by butting the openings of two containers filled with processed rice together, and developed the "instant rice ball" according to the present invention. container This leads to the proposal: [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5107101 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-296380 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a rice ball that can be formed by butting together the openings of containers filled with processed cooked rice. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises at least a pair of left and right storage sections each having a predetermined shape with an opening at the top, processed rice stored in the storage sections, and a film covering the openings of the storage sections, the openings of each storage section being provided symmetrically around a fold line, and a peelable film is attached to the openings when the processed rice is stored in the storage section, and by folding the left and right storage sections from which the film has been peeled along the fold line and butting the openings together, the processed rice stored in each storage section is butted together and integrated to form a rice ball.

[0010] The present invention also employs a means in which depressions for stuffing ingredients are formed on the surface of the processed cooked rice stored in either the left or right storage section or in both storage sections.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention employs a means in which the left and right storage sections have the same shape or different shapes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] Instant rice ball according to the present invention container According to the method, since the processed cooked rice is stored in the storage section, it is possible to prepare warm rice using a heating means such as a microwave oven without cooking the rice, and it is possible to easily and hygienically form rice balls by simply butting the openings of each storage section together.

[0013] In addition, the instant rice ball according to the present invention container According to the invention, depressions are formed on the surface of the cooked rice stored in the storage section, so that when forming rice balls, there is no need to form depressions for the ingredients yourself, and any ingredients can be packed instantly in the optimal position, and the appropriate amount of ingredients can be wrapped without being biased inside the rice ball.

[0014] Furthermore, the instant rice ball according to the present invention containerAccording to the report, by molding the left and right storage compartments into the same shape, the amount and weight of processed cooked rice stored in each storage compartment becomes the same, and when the two openings are butted together, the center of gravity becomes more stable, making it possible to form beautifully shaped rice balls.

[0015] Furthermore, the instant rice ball according to the present invention container According to the invention, since the storage section has an irregular shape, it is possible to form rice balls with different shapes on both sides, which brings about a change in appearance and can be pleasing to the eye of the person eating it. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an instant rice ball container according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an instant rice ball container according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a process diagram showing a mode of use of an instant rice ball container according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing another embodiment of the instant rice ball container according to the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a usage mode of an instant rice ball container according to the present invention. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Instant rice ball according to the present invention container The greatest feature of the container 1 is that rice balls can be easily formed by butting together the openings 5 ​​of the storage sections 2 in which processed cooked rice is stored. The instant rice ball according to the present invention will be described below. container The first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] The instant rice ball according to the present invention container1 is not limited to the embodiments described below, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, i.e., within the scope of shapes, dimensions, structures, etc. that can achieve the same effects.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an instant rice ball according to the present invention. container 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is a side cross-sectional view. FIG. 2 shows an instant rice ball according to the present invention. container 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the instant rice ball that can be formed into a triangular rice ball. container (b) is a plan view of the instant rice ball that can be formed into a round rice ball. container FIG. 1 is a plan view of the FIG. 3 shows an instant rice ball according to the present invention. container 1 is a process diagram showing a mode of use of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an instant rice ball according to the present invention. container 1, where (a) shows a case where the left and right storage sections 2 have the same shape, and (b) shows a case where the left and right storage sections 2 have different shapes. FIG. 5 shows an instant rice ball according to the present invention. container 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a mode of use of the device 1. Instant rice ball according to the present invention container 1 is mainly composed of a storage section 2, processed cooked rice 3, and film 4.

[0020] The storage section 2 is a container having an opening 5 at the top, and stores the processed cooked rice 3 therein. The storage sections 2 have a predetermined shape and are arranged in pairs on the left and right, symmetrically about the folding line 10. When the processed cooked rice 3 is stored in the storage section 2 and folded about the folding line 10, the openings 5 ​​of the storage sections 2 are brought together to unite the processed cooked rice 3 and form a rice ball. Therefore, at least two storage sections 2 having openings 5 ​​of basically the same shape are provided in pairs on the left and right. The shape of the storage section 2 is not particularly limited, and various shapes can be selected to match the appearance of the rice ball formed by the two storage sections 2, such as a flat shape with a triangular opening 5 as shown in Figure 2(a) or a round shape with a circular opening 5 as shown in Figure 2(b). There are also no particular limitations on the material that makes up the storage section 2, but heat-resistant plastic materials such as polypropylene, which can withstand microwave heating (140°C or higher), and silicone rubber are suitable. There are also no particular limitations on the size of the storage section 2, and the size of the storage section 2 is half the size of the rice ball to be formed. For example, if a small rice ball (about 50g) is to be formed, two storage sections 2, each capable of holding about 25g of processed cooked rice 3, will be provided symmetrically on the left and right. Since the processed rice 3 is to be heated and a microwave oven is assumed to be the heating means, it is preferable that the overall size of the left and right storage sections 2 combined be large enough to be stored in the microwave oven (approximately 45 cm wide and 40 cm deep if a small microwave oven of 17 to 18 L is assumed).

[0021] The processed rice 3 stored in the storage section 2 is, for example, rice that can be stored in a sealed state at room temperature (approximately 15°C to 30°C) for six months or more, and is processed so that it can have the same texture and taste as cooked rice when heated using a heating device such as a microwave oven or a heating means such as a hot water bath. There are no particular limitations on the manufacturing method of the processed cooked rice 3 used in the present invention, and a conventionally known manufacturing method can be used. Furthermore, conventionally known techniques can be used for the method of storing the processed cooked rice 3 in the storage section 2. For example, a specific amount of the processed cooked rice 3 can be stored in the storage section 2, and the storage section 2 can be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen, and then sealed with a film 4, thereby preventing deterioration in the quality of the processed cooked rice 3.

[0022] The left and right storage sections 2 are each provided with an opening 5 of the same shape, and as shown in each drawing, the storage sections 2 are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides around the folding line 10. By adopting this configuration, the two openings 5 ​​are butted together by folding along the folding line 10, and the processed cooked rice 3 stored in each storage section 2 are butted together and united, making it possible to easily form rice balls with regular shapes.

[0023] As shown in the figure, a flange 2a is preferably formed around the periphery of the opening 5 in the storage section 2. The flange 2a is formed at the periphery of the opening 5 to be slightly larger (approximately 1 cm to 2 cm) than the storage section 2, and functions as an adhesive margin when attaching the film 4 that covers the opening 5, and also helps to stably butt the openings 5 ​​together. A fold line 10 is provided on the flange portion 2a formed between the left and right storage sections 2. This fold line 10 is provided in a straight line exactly in the middle between the left and right storage sections 2, and serves as a fulcrum when the storage sections 2 are butted together. The structure of the fold line 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is a structure that allows folding along that line, and possible forms include a form in which the fold line is formed thinner than the material thickness of the storage sections 2 and the flange portion 2a, or a form in which the fold line is formed in a dashed line. In the case of forming a triangular rice ball, as shown in Fig. 2(a), a fold line 10 is provided parallel to the lower side of the rice ball (hereinafter referred to as the base), so that when the storage sections 2 are butted together, they will butt and overlap at the base of the triangle at the opening 5. By placing the base at the bottom as shown in Fig. 5, even if the center of gravity of the entire rice ball shifts downward where the fold line 10 is located, the base of the rice ball is relatively heavy, making it easier to stabilize the position.

[0024] The shape of the storage section 2 is mainly selected from the triangular and round shapes as described above, but other suitable shapes include a heart-shaped storage section 2 as shown in Fig. 4(a), or a shape in which one storage section 2 resembles the face of an animal or character, etc., and the other storage section 2 resembles the back of the head of the animal, etc., as shown in Fig. 4(b). By adopting such a shape, the appearance of the formed rice ball will be different from that of ordinary rice balls, pleasing to the eye of the person eating it. Even if the left and right storage sections 2 have different shapes, the left and right openings 5 ​​have the same shape so that the left and right processed cooked rice 3 can be combined when they are butted together.

[0025] After the processed cooked rice 3 is stored in the storage section 2, the opening 5 is covered and sealed with a film 4 to prevent contact with the outside air. There are no particular limitations on the material of the film 4 used for covering or the means of attaching it to the storage section 2, and one possible method is to use a heat-resistant film such as a polyester film and attach it by heat sealing or the like. Another suitable mode is to fill the storage section 2 with an inert gas before sealing with the film 4. By adopting such a mode, the oxygen present in the storage section 2 is replaced with the inert gas, making it possible to prevent oxidation of the processed cooked rice 3 and the deterioration of the quality of the processed cooked rice 3 that results from oxidation.

[0026] It is desirable that before heating in a microwave oven, the storage section 2 sealed with the film 4 is released from the sealed state by peeling off an end (about 2 cm to 3 cm) of the film 4, thereby releasing the moisture (water vapor) contained in the processed cooked rice 3. By adopting such an embodiment, it is possible to prevent the moisture that has turned into steam as a result of heating in the microwave oven from combining with the surface of the storage section 2 or the processed cooked rice 3 to form water droplets after heating is completed, and it is also possible to prevent the processed cooked rice 3 from becoming soggy due to more than an appropriate amount of moisture filling the storage section 2. The sealed state may be released by the film 4 being naturally peeled off by the expansion pressure in the storage section 2 due to heating.

[0027] As shown in the figure, a depression 6 for filling ingredients 7 is preferably provided on the surface (the surface on the opening side) of the processed cooked rice 3 stored in the storage section 2. Such a depression 6 may be provided on only one of the left and right sides of the processed cooked rice 3 stored in the storage section 2, or may be provided on both the left and right sides of the processed cooked rice 3. There are no limitations on the location, size, or depth of the depression 6, and these are determined appropriately based on the size of the ingredients 7 to be placed in the rice ball and the size of the rice ball itself.

[0028] Instant rice balls consisting of the above components container The main usage of 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. Instant rice balls container 1 has two storage sections 2 symmetrically arranged around a folding line 10. An appropriate amount of processed cooked rice 3 is stored in each storage section 2, and a depression 6 is provided on the surface of the processed cooked rice 3 stored in one of the storage sections 2. A film 4 is attached to the opening 5 of the storage section 2, and the processed cooked rice 3 is sealed inside the storage section 2.

[0029] First, an end of the film 4 is peeled off to release the sealed state of the storage section 2, and then the processed cooked rice 3 is heated using a microwave oven. Then, the entire film 4 is peeled off from the heated storage section 2 to expose the surface of the processed cooked rice 3 through the opening 5, and then ingredients 7 are placed in the depressions 6 provided on the surface. While being careful not to drop the ingredients 7, the container is folded around the folding line 10, and the left and right storage sections 2 are butted together like palms together, so that the openings 5 ​​butt against each other and the surfaces of the processed cooked rice 3 come into contact with each other and are united and integrated. As a result, the left and right processed cooked rice 3 are integrated to form a rice ball. When the left and right storage sections 2 are butted together, it is possible to fold each storage section 2 upward by approximately 90° around the fold line 10, so that the butting surface is approximately vertical. However, since it is possible that some ingredients 7 may fall out of the recesses 6, it is also possible to leave one storage section 2 with the ingredients 7 placed on it flat, and fold the other storage section 2 180° around the fold line 10 and fold it over the one storage section 2 from above, so that the butting surface is approximately horizontal.

[0030] Thereafter, the butted storage sections 2 are opened to the left and right, and the rice ball is removed from the storage section 2 to complete the meal. The completed rice ball can then be placed on a plate or the like to be eaten, or, if necessary, seasoned by wrapping it in seaweed or sprinkling salt on it, or wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or packed in a lunch box, for easy transport. As shown in FIG. 5, the rice ball can be carried with the storage sections 2 facing each other, and when actually eating, the storage sections 2 can be opened to take out the rice balls.

[0031] The instant rice ball according to the present invention has been described above. container Although various explanations have been given regarding one embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the structural aspects shown in the above embodiment. For example, to make it easier to take out the completed rice balls, the inner surface of the storage section 2 may be embossed to make it easier for the rice grains to peel off. In addition, it is also possible to form a sealing structure such as a concave-convex fitting structure on the flange portion 2a to prevent the storage portion 2 from opening to the left or right when carried with the storage portion 2 butted together (Figure 5). Furthermore, it is also possible to have multiple pairs of storage sections 2 on the left and right, rather than just one pair on the left and right.For example, by providing multiple pairs of storage sections 2 of about 5 cm, it is possible to form multiple bite-sized rice balls at once.

[0032] As described above, the instant rice ball according to the present invention containerIn the device 1, rice balls can be easily formed by butting together the openings 5 ​​of a pair of left and right storage sections 2, and by using processed rice 3, rice can be easily prepared by simply heating it in a heating means such as a microwave oven, and it is also excellent in terms of storage stability and hygiene. [Industrial Applicability]

[0033] Book The invention allows rice balls to be eaten easily at any time by simply heating them in a microwave oven or the like, and since it uses processed cooked rice that can be stored for a long time at room temperature, it can also be used as an emergency food in the event of a disaster, etc. Furthermore, since the processed cooked rice can be heated by simply boiling it in hot water, it is also useful as a food ingredient that can be cooked on-site when outdoors, such as when camping. Therefore, the "instant rice balls" according to the present invention are container " is believed to have extremely high industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1. Instant rice ball container 2 Storage area 2a Flange 3 Processed rice 4 Film 5 Opening 6. Depression 7. Ingredients 10 fold line

Claims

1. The container comprises at least a pair of left and right storage sections each having a predetermined shape with an opening at the top, processed cooked rice stored in the storage sections, and a film covering the opening of the storage section, The openings of each storage compartment are symmetrical around the fold line, When the processed cooked rice is stored in the storage section, a peelable film is attached to the opening, A depression for stuffing ingredients is formed on the surface of the opening side of the processed cooked rice stored in either one or both of the left and right storage sections, The instant rice ball container filled with processed rice is characterized in that the left and right storage sections from which the film has been peeled are folded along the folding lines to butt the openings together, so that the processed rice stored in each storage section is butted together and integrated to form the rice ball.

2. 2. The instant rice ball container filled with processed cooked rice according to claim 1, wherein the left and right storage sections have the same shape or different shapes.

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